ACF: We’re not partisan — we criticise Tinubu like we did Buhari

Murtala Aliyu, secretary-general of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), says the organisation criticises President Bola Tinubu’s administration with the same vigour it applied during the government of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking on ‘News Night’, an Arise TV programme, Aliyu said that while the forum may be political, it remains impartial and not partisan.

“I think that’s an unfair judgment to say we criticize the government because a southerner is at the helm of affairs,” he said.

“We were huge critics of the last northern-led administration, and our records can verify this.

“We have consistently brought attention to government actions and pressed for improvement when necessary.

“The ACF’s official position is that selecting candidates is the responsibility of political parties.

“We’ll assess which candidate is better for the country and the north. We’re not partisan, but rather political, and our interest is the entire northern state and its benefit to the whole country.

“We don’t take sides, and we’re not against any person, including the current president.”

Aliyu’s remarks came in the wake of the reported announcement that the ACF will support a northern candidate in the 2027 general election.

On Wednesday, Mamman Osuman, ACF national chairman, criticised northern leaders for not finding solutions to the challenges of the region.

Osuma queried the roles the governors and lawmakers from the region are playing toward improving the economic hardship inflicted on the people by Tinubu’s policies.

He reportedly announced the support of the forum for a northern candidate in the 2027 general election.

Subsequently, the ACF suspended Osuman for issuing an unauthorised statement, adding that he did not consult with other leaders and members of the forum before making the remark.

‘WE’RE ENGAGING GOVERNORS’

During the chat, the secretary general said the ACF is engaging with governors at different levels and traditional institutions to promote good governance.

Aliyu said that the ACF’s primary concern is ensuring leaders prioritise grassroots needs, adding that collaboration between federal and state governments is crucial for progress.

“First of all let me say that we engage the governors at the governors’ forum level. We also engage the governors at the individual level,” he said.

“We also engage the traditional rulers. And where there is responsibility at the sub-national level, we bring their attention to that. We are not totally blaming the national government for all the wars in the country.

“Just like the north, any part of the country will have to wake up at sub-national level to do the right thing and so the federal government will complement those efforts. But such economic policies, the micro-economic policies, are actually defined by the government at the center.

“If things are going right or wrong at the center they should address it. At the micro-level, the state governments or the governments at the sub-national level will handle that. And we are talking to them.

“So we are not saying we are heaping all the blame on one person or one location. No. We are saying all people at the leadership level should wake up to their responsibility and also be aware that the people at the grassroots are complaining.

“So we expect to see the promises the government made. That changes will come soon and that succor will come to the people.”